Ozark went up against eight teams with winning records in the 2022 portion of its schedule. The Tigers’ new year slate calls for matchups with at least six more teams with winning marks.
In addition, Ozark (4-8) will likely face one, two or possible three foes with winning records at the Shawnee Mission West (Kansas) Invitational the third week of January.
Coach Mark Schweitzer’s bunch travels to Columbia Hickman (10-3) on Saturday prior to opening COC play at home versus Nixa (12-0) on Tuesday.
It's all part of the plan to get the Tigers to peak at the right time.
"We’ve had a tough schedule,” Schweitzer said. “This team is better than our record indicates because we’re not playing just anybody That’s the only way I know how to make kids understand how to play at this level. We’re Class 6, this is big-school Missouri basketball. Each game we see improvement. We have to keep after it.”
Last season, Ozark faced 17 teams with winning records.
The Tigers will play only five regular-season home games prior to serving as Class 6 District 5 host against Nixa Kickapoo, Republic, Joplin, Springfield Central, Carthage and Neosho.
Nixa, Kickapoo, Republic and Central are all ranked in the latest Class 6 Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Poll.
Here are other notable Ozark numbers from the Tigers’ first 12 games:
— Forward Ryan Engel has drawn a team-high 12 charges.
— Sophomore guard Hudson Roberts’ 14.2 scoring average and junior center Jace Whatley’s 14.1 scoring average top Ozark.
— Roberts’ 27 3-point goals are three times more than any other Tiger.
— Roberts and guard Ethan Sutherland are averaging 30 minutes of playing time a game and Whatley’s nightly norm is 29.
— Roberts owns an .816 free-throw percentage (31-of-39).
— Roberts also leads the team with six blocked shots.
— Sutherland has dished out 45 assists and sports a 1.50 A/TO ratio
— Whatley has pulled down 88 rebounds, or 7.3 rebounds a game. He averaged 6.5 boards a game last season.
— Forward Jake Garner has a .531 field-goal percentage.
— The Tigers have no one averaging more than three fouls a game.
